TiKA Pays It Forward With Timeless Love on "Debt"

“I am the rice and peas/ you are the oxtail to my gravy” is an iconic love song lyric.

Love is an endlessly deep pool of inspiration. Whatever that love looks like, and to whom it is bestowed, it is a universally felt experience. On TiKA's new single, "Debt," with Juno-award winning producer Harrison, we get a classic pop love song full of the warm, fuzzy sentiments on throwback tracks but updated with a contemporary sound. The Toronto R&B singer's serene vocals skim softly overtop a gentle drumbeat and slinky keys. ""Debt" is an ode to the classic, timeless love song," TiKA says. "A throwback to the 1960's, Harrison creates the production landscaping riddled with rhodes and bells while TiKA delivers a vocal approach that brings the listener back to Motown. Reminiscent of The Supremes and The Isley Brothers, "Debt" puts a new spin on the nostalgic, vintage sound."

The track, which premiered on Complex yesterday, is as much a dedicated to the love of another (with sweet lyrics like "I am the rice and peas/ you are the oxtail to my gravy") as it is a dedication to the love of oneself. Without the love of oneself, the love for another isn't necessarily whole. TiKA's profile recently rose because of her Bask Photo Series, appearing in international fashion publications, celebrating not only her body but the bodies of Black women. It's a necessary proclamation to love oneself and be proud of it.